Training for contingencies

- March 18th, 2010

Forget the blame game, and responsibility and accountability issues; one of the biggest action points arising from this unintended acceleration storm is the need for teaching drivers what to do in emergency situations.

Advanced driver trainingIf ever there were a time to justify the $600 one time expense on something that might save just one life, this is it. Yes, it’s costly and time consuming, but the neat thing about it is that it teaches you car dynamics void of the systems that are meant to supplement a driver’s knowledge, not give that driver a fall sense of security.

As it is, youngsters are being taught to drive by their parents or peers, and new drivers from other countries are being taught as quickly as possible to pass a driving test (they already know how to drive from their native country, right?).

New drivers are not being taught how cars work. They are being taught how vehicle systems work and to trust those systems to keep you safe. By and large, that’s good advice, but there’s going to be that one time when the systems may let you down and you’re going to have to know what to do to your vehicle to save yourself.

For example, did you know that slamming on the brakes in glare ice may actually cause your anti-lock brakes to not work? Depending on the system, if all four wheels lock up at the exact instant (which is rare, I admit), the computer will actually think the vehicle has come to a complete stop and therefore not “pump” the brakes. You’re going to have to know how to release pressure and find the threshold of braking in order to steer around obstacles as quickly as possible. Or, hope one of the wheels finds even a smidgen of traction in order to reboot the ABS.

Emergency avoidance exerciseAnother example: did you know that dropping two wheels off the pavement onto the gravel shoulder will not cause your vehicle to spin out and possibly (if it’s an SUV) roll over? It’s only the sudden and extreme reaction of jerking the steering wheel to get back onto the road that may cause extreme over steering and increase the chance of a rollover. You want to learn to avoid doing that.

These are just two examples of scenarios that advanced driver training addresses. In no course I’ve taken has it been taught to reach for a cell phone to tell a loved one the vehicle is out of control and you’re going to die.

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6 comments

  1. Ken says:

    This is exactly what was missing during the thrashing of Toyota. Awareness that problems occur, so instead of blaming someone else learn how to react. Driving should not be taken lightly, yet too many treat it that way.

  2. John Surins says:

    Dear Mr. Duarte ;

    The article mentions a fee of $ 600 for a course designed to enhance driver skills . Can you provide more information about this program ; name of agency , location etc …

    Sincerely ,

    J Surins

  3. JS says:

    “…taught to drive by their parents or piers…”

    No wonder there are so many bad drivers on the road, they are being taught by boat docks!!! :-) (oops! Fixed. -Ed.)

    Seriously though, driver training and testing needs to improve. To pass a test in MB you need to be able to drive in a straight line, recognize most traffic signs and parallel park. Things like that should be mandatory to get a beginners license, but there should be much more stringent training and testing requirements to get a full license.

  4. Andrew Taylor says:

    My thoughts exactly.. Everyone should learn what to do in an emergency situation when at the wheel. It takes much more time to make a cell phone call than putting the shifter in neutral or shuting down the engine. One of these people that was killed at the wheel was an off duty police officer.
    i thought that police officer,s were trained to react accordingly in an emergency. This one was not . Everyone is looking for someone to blame for their own lack of skill at the wheel. Gas pedal,s can and have been sticking on all brands of cars from time to time since the car was invented or any other motorized vehicle for that matter.But now everyone is looking for a bloodthirsty lawyer to save them from their own stupidity.

  5. Joe Duarte says:

    There are several courses available at various schools and the average cost is anywhere from a couple hundred for a one day course to thousands for multi-day courses. The government of Ontario website has a page of links, but I’m not sure of other provinces.

  6. When my daughter had been driving about a year I enrolled her in the Skid School in Bronte, on Bronte Rd. Personally I think it was the best insurance policy ever. I know for a fact what she learned there saved her life at least once.

    I have advised other parents with new drivers to do the same and the ones that have followed thru have later thanked me for the advise.

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